Academy Life
by Raziel12
Summary: A series of slice-of-life chapters covering the good, the bad, and the weird at Beacon Academy. Focuses mainly on team RWBY and team JNPR. Chapter 5: Some people take homework more seriously than others - a lot more seriously.
1. Chapter 1

**A Little Too Cuddly**

Yang wasn't normally one to turn down a good thing, especially when it involved Blake. So when the other girl practically kicked down the door, jumped onto her lap, and started cuddling and nuzzling her, she wasn't about to say no. Okay, maybe she was about to say no – Blake suddenly realising that her lap really was the most comfortable place in the universe was just a tiny bit strange – but only after a few seconds. Scratch that, Yang thought as Blake licked her cheek, make that a few minutes. After all, she was only human, and Blake fit perfectly curled up against her.

But being the super awesome friend – and maybe something more – that she was, Yang eventually did the right thing. She wedged one arm between herself and Blake and pried the dark-haired girl off.

"I know I'm hot and all, but this isn't like you." Yang's eyes widened as Blake strained against her. She knew Blake was strong, but she'd never been this strong before. But strangely enough, Blake wasn't looking at her face or even her generous chest. Instead, Blake seemed much more interested in something else. Blake's hands had curled her hands into cute, little claws and… was that her hair that Blake was after? "Okay…" Yang tried to pull her hair out of Blake's hands. "Now I'm worried."

Yang got even more worried when Blake's only response was to let out an irritated meow before making another grab for her hair. Yep, something was definitely going on. Yang's hair was pretty awesome, but Blake had never been the kind to simply grab at it. Still, Blake was kind of cute this way, pawing at Yang's hair and making the most adorable purrs when Yang finally gave up and let Blake settle down on her lap and rub her face against her hair.

"Hmmm. We've been in class all day, so I doubt you ran into anything weird. Then again this is Beacon. Weird is sort of par for the course." Yang winced as Blake put a lock of blonde hair in her mouth. "Hey! Bad Blake! No eating my hair." Blake gave her an apologetic look and went back to petting her hair.

Whatever it was that had reduced Blake to a cat-like state, Yang couldn't risk leaving her alone. While it would definitely be hilarious, Blake would never forgive her if Yang let her wander around the school acting like a cat. Still, Yang giggled and patted Blake's ears, this was definitely better than doing homework.

With no better ideas in mind – and not minding all that much since who wouldn't want to snuggle up to the bookworm if they had the chance to do so without getting stabbed – Yang stayed right where she was. On the upside, Ruby and Weiss were out again. Part of her wondered if the heiress and her sister were arguing again – probably – or if they were doing that weird love/hate thing they had going on – quite likely – and whether the day would ever come when she'd get the chance to walk in on them doing something embarrassing. If that happened, she would be sure to impress upon Weiss the importance of treating Ruby right, but only after embarrassing both of them so much they passed out from all the blood rushing to their cheeks.

Yang spent the next several minutes scratching Blake behind the ears. All the purring had to be a good sign. Then Blake went still – very, very still.

"Oh, what's the problem?" Yang laughed. "Does the kitty not like being scratched behind the ears anymore? Maybe you need a rub on the back instead."

"What am I doing?" Blake sat up so fast that she almost broke Yang's nose. "And why am I on your lap." She looked back and forth. "And where is my book?"

"Well…" Yang waggled her eyebrows. "It's like this…"

A rosy blush bloomed on Blake's cheeks as she realised that not only was she sitting on Yang's lap but Yang also had one hand on the small of her back. That hand was rubbing her back in lazy circles. "Did… did I do something weird?"

"You could say that." Yang leaned in, smirking evilly as Blake tried to creep away. Well, she couldn't have that. "You might have kicked the door open and commandeered my lap. Plus, you went after my hair like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Then again, my hair is quite awesome."

"Oh." Blake looked around frantically. This was not good. And the teasing light in Yang's eyes meant nothing but trouble. With an amazing burst of speed and strength, she wrestled her way out of Yang's arms. "Could we, uh, never talk about this again?" She desperately wanted something to hide behind, but her book was nowhere to be found.

Yang tilted her head to one side. "I guess. Although I am curious to know why you were acting like that. Care to share, Blake?"

"Um… not really." Blake settled for grabbing the nearest book she could find. It was one of Ruby's textbooks, so it was far from the perfect size and weight. At least it was big enough to cover her face.

"Don't worry, I won't say a word of this to anyone." Yang's grin was big and cat-like. "After all, what are friends for? And if you ever need my lap again, just ask." She gestured at the lap in question. "You're always welcome to cuddle up."

Blake blushed even harder and made a beeline for the door. Yang watched her go, chuckling as Blake first fumbled with the doorknob then ran for the safety of the corridor. How interesting. She needed to know what had happened.

Yang got her answer the very next day.

She was passing by team JNPR's room when she heard Nora squeal.

"Isn't he the cutest thing in the world?" Nora cried. "Can we keep him, please? Please, please, please, please?"

"I'm not sure we can," Jaune said. "Do they even let us keep pets in the dorms?"

Yang leaned her head in through the open door to find all four of members of team JNPR fussing over a cat in the middle of their room. It was a shabby looking thing, white with a few black patches and scrawny to boot. But it was cute, especially with its big, round eyes that just made Yang want to hug it and –

The next thing Yang knew, she was settling down on the floor next to Nora patting the cat as the other girl chatted away.

"We can call him Patches. We can buy him a nice, little bed to sleep in and give him cat food. He won't have to sleep out on the streets anymore, never knowing when another Ursa might come to steal his food and kick him out of the alley he's been sleeping in."

Ren raised one eyebrow. "I don't think there are any Ursa wandering around taking alleys and food from stray cats." He sighed as the cat licked Nora's hand. "And I'm fairly sure that school regulations don't allow for the keeping of pets."

Nora looked utterly aghast and swept Patches into her arms. "But look at him Ren! Are you really going to send him back onto the streets to die a horrible, horrible death? Look at his eyes! He's probably lived a life of untold horror and misery. He's a hero, Ren. We can't send him away now."

Confronted with the craziness that was Nora, Ren looked to his other teammates for a bit of sanity. He didn't get any. Both Pyrrha and Jaune were nodding.

"It would be kind of mean to kick him out now." Jaune scratched the back of his head. "And it might be nice to have a cat around."

"He should be rewarded for his bravery." Pyrrha nodded firmly and held the cat up. "He might not look like much, but it must have taken a lot of courage to sneak onto school grounds and into our room."

"Are you serious?" Ren asked.

"Plus, I've already bought all this stuff for him!" Seemingly out of nowhere, Nora produced a cat bed, cat food, and a host of other supplies. Ren went down under the pile as the cat settled onto its new bed – atop Ren's chest.

Yang decided to put in her two cents. "Well, I'm sure the others wouldn't mind helping you guys take care of him. And considering all the weird stuff that goes on around here, I doubt anyone will even notice you have a cat." Her eyes zeroed in on the supplies that Nora had bought. "What is that?"

"Oh this?" Nora held up a bunch of leaves. "It's catnip. Patches was freaking out earlier about being around so many new people, so I bought some." She giggled. "Now, he's friendly."

"Really?" A grin formed on Yang's face. "When did you get it?"

"I got it today." Nora pursed her lips, deep in thought. "I wasn't sure how to use it. I tried eating some but that didn't do anything, and it didn't taste very nice either. But then Blake came by, and she said Patches would sniff it if he liked it, so then I shoved some in her face and made her sniff it to check if it was working, and then she ran next door." Nora shrugged.

That explained a few things. Yang gave Patches one last pat on the head. "Thanks." She stood. "And keep the cat. I know Ruby would love him."

X X X

Blake trudged back to her room. She'd made such an idiot out of herself. She'd practically thrown herself at Yang – heck, if Yang was right, then she had thrown herself at Yang. She just wished she could remember more. But all she could remember were impressions: the warmth of Yang's lap, how nice it felt to be scratched behind the ears, and the softness of Yang's hair.

Stupid catnip. Nora hadn't meant any harm, but Blake had never tried catnip before. Apparently, she was still highly susceptible even if she was a faunus and not an actual cat. But she couldn't avoid going back to her room any longer. She'd run into Weiss and Ruby, and the pair was on their way back to the room. There was homework due in tomorrow, and Ruby had called another "team meeting" to make sure it got done – or, more accurately, to make sure that they helped her get hers done. Blake didn't mind helping, but she hoped Yang would hold up her end of their agreement. No one need ever know what had happened.

Of course, she wasn't that lucky.

Yang opened the door with a bunch of familiar leaves in her hand.

"Yo." Yang took a deep breath of the catnip and then waved it at Blake. "Want a sniff?"

It took Ruby and Weiss ten minutes to drag Blake off Yang and another five minutes to untie Gambol Shroud from the blonde's neck. Ruby was even forced to make an official team leader announcement expressly forbidding the horrible murder of her sister. At least Yang had the decency not to tell the others what was going on, but they weren't stupid. They'd figure it out eventually. As they finally – finally – settled down to do their homework, Yang gave Blake a teasing grin and whispered in her ear.

"Relax, I'm just kidding. The next time I've got you in my lap, I want you to know exactly what you're doing." Yang's throaty chuckle made Blake shiver. "Though you are cute when you purr. I'd like to make you purr more often."

That particular comment prompted another round of scuffling. Sighing as Blake chased her sister around the room, Ruby shook her head. At this rate, she'd never get her homework done.

X X X

**Author's Notes**

I do not own RWBY, and I'm not making any money off of this story either.

I watched the whole of Volume 1 the other day in a single sitting, and I couldn't resist having a stab at some fan fiction. The whole time I was kind of hoping that Blake would be a cat-girl (since they dropped a few hints along the way), so it was kind of cool to find out that she actually is one. Once I knew that, I knew I had to do something involving Blake, Yang, and some catnip. Nothing like a cuddly Blake to spice up your day!

Rather than leaving this as a one-shot, I thought I'd put up a series of stories, slice-of-life style, covering the good, the bad, and the strange when it comes to life at Beacon. I plan on focusing on team RWBY, but I'll be writing about team JNPR as well. There is a lot of room, I think, for humour, romance, and good, old-fashioned friendship.

As always, I appreciate feedback. Reviews and comments are welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Way The Cookie Crumbles **

It was another wonderful day at Beacon Academy. Yang's hair was shining, Blake was reading, and Ruby was pouting her way to yet another victory over Weiss.

"Please." Ruby clasped her hands together and put on her most cute and plaintive expression. "Please, go shopping with me, Weiss."

Weiss glared up from the textbook she was trying to study. "We have a test in two days, Ruby, a test that I know you haven't finished studying for. And you want to go shopping? Really?"

"I have been studying." Ruby huffed. "And we've still got two days. That's plenty of time."

Weiss didn't bother to dignify that with a response. Instead, she scowled at Ruby. Her scowl alone should be enough to convey her displeasure. Ruby did her best to scowl back. Weiss almost laughed. Ruby Rose had a long, long way to go before she could out scowl her.

"Oh, fine." Ruby folded her arms over her chest and looked away. "Maybe I do need to study a little bit more. But it's not my fault. Blake bought this really cool book about weapons. You should see the schematics they have inside! I never knew you could do so many cool things with swords! There's even this awesome chapter about –"

Weiss cut Ruby off before the younger girl could go off on another hour-long spiel about weapons design and manufacture. Admittedly, it was nice to see Ruby so enthusiastic over something that was actually related to Beacon Academy's curriculum. But the longer Ruby went on, the more likely it was that she'd pull out Crescent Rose and start talking to it like it was a person. More to the point, their test was on history, not weaponry. Weiss also hadn't missed the fact that Ruby's last two study sessions had involved trying to hide the book about weapons behind her history textbook. Honestly, Ruby could at least try to be subtle about it.

"I know how much you like weapons, Ruby, but you are not going to fail this test. I won't allow it." Weiss narrowed her eyes. "I've spent far too long tutoring you for you to fail. Anything less than a good grade is simply unacceptable. Do you understand?"

"But –"

"Unacceptable."

As soon as the word left Weiss's mouth, Ruby's expression fell. Her eyes grew watery, her lower lip jutted out, and her posture slumped. Despite the fact that Weiss knew it was an act – it had to be because there was no way that Ruby was really that upset – she still felt like the worst person in the world, a common criminal of the lowest and most vulgar sort. It was not a pleasant feeling at all, and she wasn't sure whether to be amused or horrified that Ruby could make her feel that way so easily.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you this weekend." Ruby scuffed the floor with one shoe. "You've been so busying studying lately that we haven't been able to hang out at all. I mean we're teammates, but we're friends too, right? So I thought… I thought we could hang out. But that's okay." Ruby turned and began to walk away, staring at the floor. "I can study instead."

This wasn't fair. Weiss knew she was being played, but Ruby was far too adorable for her own good. "Fine." Weiss sighed and closed her textbook. "I suppose we can go out for a few hours. But after that, we have to come back and study."

It was amazing how quickly Ruby's sadness vanished. With a burst of her famous speed, Ruby grabbed Weiss, hugged her, and then dragged her out the door. It all happened so fast that all Weiss had time to do was breathe in the faint scent of roses that lingered in the air around Ruby. What a demure scent for someone so… lively.

X X X

Careful exploration had taught Weiss that the shopping district around Beacon was not entirely without merit. There were a handful of restaurants of sufficient quality to satisfy her refined palate. There was even a quaint, little café that served the most wonderfully sophisticated coffee. Blake had shown it to her. Apparently, the dark-haired girl enjoyed tea while she was reading, along with the quiet ambience of the café's secluded garden. Of course, Yang often accompanied Blake to the café, so Weiss was sceptical about how quiet it could be. Perhaps the only person noisier than Ruby was her older sister.

There were also a few stores that could meet her exacting standards. Although she had no need to purchase Dust from a normal store, it was comforting to know that quality supplies were on hand in case she ever ran out or was unable to send for more. Naturally, the store in question purchased dust from her family's company, but that was to be expected. Her family's company was one of the largest producers and exporters of Dust in the world.

Another store to catch her attention was the weapon smith. Myrtenaster was a weapon of the highest quality, and Weiss was confident it could stand up to any opponent she would face. However, in the unlikely event that it was damaged she could always bring it in for repairs. Of course, there was also Ruby. Her teammate might be young, obnoxious, and loud, but she knew her weapons. Weiss was loath to admit it, but Crescent Rose was a truly admirable weapon.

Weiss had been hoping for a quiet lunch at the café that Blake frequented. She had, unfortunately, missed breakfast. So some scones to go with tea or coffee would have been very nice. Afterward, she could take Ruby clothes shopping. Regardless of how well the colours suited her, Ruby needed something in her wardrobe that wasn't black or red. Following that, a visit to the Dust store was in order so that Weiss could lecture Ruby on the importance and utility of Dust without putting her own supplies at risk.

What Weiss got was something altogether different. Ruby dragged her through the shopping district, flitting from one store to the next like a bumblebee. One moment, it was the bookstore, and then it was the weapons smith. A blink of an eye later, and they were pushing their way to the front of the line at a fast food restaurant, all so they could get something to eat on the go.

It was appalling. Her, Weiss Schnee eating fast food? Unbelievable. She tried to complain only for Ruby to shove a burger – a fatty, greasy, oddly tasty burger – into her mouth. She was halfway to choking when Ruby poured a watered-down cola into her mouth to wash down the burger. To make matters worse, Ruby had done all this while continuing to rant about all the wonderful weapons they'd seen at the weapons smith. Really? Weapons? Weiss had been three seconds from dying at the hands of poorly made fast food and Ruby wanted to talk about weapons!

Weiss had every right to get angry, but for some reason she wasn't. Had anyone told her that she would one day allow some girl to throw her around like a ragdoll and drag her from place to place, she would have told them they were crazy and then proceeded to poke them full of holes. But here she was. Somehow, Ruby had managed to worm her way into Weiss's good graces. It had to be some freakish combination of ridiculously good luck, incredible tenacity, and Weiss's growing appreciation of what it meant to actually have real friends.

Ruby didn't care that Weiss was rich. She didn't care that Weiss was the heiress to one of the richest and most powerful families in the world. Ruby liked Weiss for Weiss. That wasn't something that the heiress had much experience with. Almost everyone she'd ever known had wanted to know her because of her family and her wealth, not because of who she was. And although Weiss would never say it, she was deeply grateful to have found genuine friends at Beacon – even if they were weird, troublesome, and overly fascinated with implements of death.

So if Ruby wanted to drag her around, then perhaps she'd go along with it. Oh, she'd protest and complain – she had to keep up appearances – but not too much.

Still, Weiss was heiress to the Schnee family and a young lady of unmatched poise and sophistication. She would – in her infinite kindness – humour Ruby by going shopping with her. She might even go back to that fast food restaurant for another burger if the opportunity presented itself. But on no account was she about to spend her money on something as childish and frivolous as cookies.

Cookies – at their age!

"Please." Ruby tugged on Weiss's sleeve and pointed eagerly at the bakery. "Can we go inside? It smells so good. And didn't you promise to get me something if we topped the most recent team combat examinations? We totally did, so you totally owe me something."

Weiss winced. She should have known better than to make that promise, especially since a woman of her standing could hardly go back on her word. But she had wanted to top the examinations. Her father would not have accepted anything less, nor would she. It hadn't been easy. Team JNPR might have a handicap in Jaune, but they also had a trump card in Pyrrha.

"Ruby, you are not a child. I do not see what is so interesting about –"

Oh, good grief.

Weiss trailed off. Ruby had gone from pleading and whining to outright pouting. It didn't seem to matter one bit to Ruby that they were in the middle of the street where everybody could see her pouting like a little girl.

"Ruby, you will stop that right now."

Ruby continued to pout. If anything, the power of her pout increased ten-fold.

Weiss's resolve crumbled, and she cursed her weakness again. But the look on Ruby's face had once again been so adorable that she'd felt like complete scum for even thinking of denying Ruby access to a whole host of sugary baked goods. Surely, it couldn't hurt to grant Ruby this one request, to buy her a few cookies. No – Weiss shook her head – that was exactly what Ruby wanted her to think.

"We are not getting any cookies. We have been out here for hours. We need to go back and study."

"Please." Ruby upped her pout to what Yang had only semi-jokingly referred to as 'catastrophically cute'. "I'll be your best friend forever and ever and ever."

Weiss paused. It was only a turn of phrase, but the thought of having Ruby as her best friend forever and ever and ever was strangely appealing. "I suppose we could take a quick look."

"Yay!"

Weiss blinked and then found herself in the middle of the shop as Ruby abandoned her in favour of darting around in search of her favourite cookies and sweets. Weiss sighed and tapped one foot on the ground. The shop did smell very nice, but she'd never understood the need to go crazy over cookies. They were good, but not good enough to justify Ruby's behaviour.

Glancing over the prices, Weiss frowned. These had better be the best cookies and sweets in all of Beacon because they were certainly priced that way. In the end, it was the price that put a dampener on Ruby's enthusiasm.

"It's all so expensive." Ruby scratched the back of her head. "I know you said you'd get me something, but you don't have to. I can always get some from another store…"

Weiss rolled her eyes. She was the very opposite of poor, and it wasn't like she was spending her money on a lot of other things anyway. "Ruby, I have more than enough money to buy you a few cookies. I said I would buy you some, and I will. Now choose some, so we can go."

Speaking of choosing, Weiss should have known to choose her words better.

In Weiss's mind the word 'some' meant one or two packs of cookies. In Ruby's mind, it translated to as many as she could carry. Ruby was very strong for her size.

When they got back to Beacon, Weiss was doing her best to juggle a mountain of cookies and sweets while Ruby did the same. That girl – somehow, she'd convinced Weiss to help carry back the spoils of their little trip. If that wasn't bad enough, both Blake and Yang were already in the room. The blonde was grinning like the cat that ate the canary, and the gleam in Blake's eyes was nothing but trouble.

The faunus peered over her book and smiled before going back to her reading. Blake didn't need to say anything – she knew Yang would say it for her.

"She got you good, didn't she, Weiss?" Yang snickered and grabbed Ruby before the girl could trip and get buried under her cookies and sweets. "I'm guessing Ruby here pouted you into submission." If that wasn't enough, she had the gall to add a few whipping noises.

Weiss would normally have tried to come up with some incredibly witty reply, but the knowing smirk on Yang's face was too much. The blonde had correctly identified Weiss's rapidly growing soft spot for Ruby. And with all the things she was carrying, Weiss could hardly lash out physically. Instead, she settled for something simple and to the point.

"Shut up."

X X X

Over the next several weeks, Weiss bore witness to a bizarre and altogether disturbing phenomenon: Ruby was hoarding her cookies and sweets. Weiss had expected her friend to simply wolf everything down on the first day, but no, Ruby had kept to a rigid schedule. Ruby had painstakingly calculated the exact number of cookies and sweets she could eat each day to both satisfy her sweet tooth and still leave her with more.

As a result, Ruby almost always had a cookie in hand, and it was driving Weiss mad. First, there were the sounds. It was utterly scandalous for a girl of fifteen to moan like that while eating cookies. Weiss didn't care if they were the best cookies in all of Beacon – which Ruby claimed they were – it was obscene and weird and… and captivating. And the less said about the look on Ruby's face while she ate, the better.

But what truly caught Weiss's attention were Ruby's lips. Was it wrong to be so utterly fascinated by how Ruby ate a cookie? Ruby would bring the cookie up to her lips, eyeing it keenly for several seconds until she took a nibble, flashes of white teeth appearing now and then, before she took a big, decisive bite out of it. Then Ruby would chew, savouring the cookie like it was the very finest of wines.

As they studied for their next exam – Ruby had aced the previous one – Weiss heard a sigh of disappointment.

"This is the last cookie." Ruby held the cookie up. "Maybe I should save it for tomorrow."

Weiss wasn't sure why she did what she did. Perhaps it was too much studying, or perhaps Ruby's overzealous spontaneity had infected her brain.

"The last one? You're complaining about it being the last one? I haven't even had one." Weiss reached out and plucked the cookie out of Ruby's hands. Then she brought it to her lips. She was halfway through her first bite of it when Ruby grinned, giggled, and then leaned over to bite off the other half. Then she froze. In fact, they both froze, their lips only a hair's breadth apart.

Ruby blushed, but the last cookie was too tempting. Still blushing, she bit off half the cookie, her lips brushing ever so gently against Weiss's. Eyes wide, Weiss pulled back and munched on her half.

"Sweet," Weiss whispered. Ruby blushed harder. Weiss wasn't sure if she was referring to Ruby or the cookie. "Uh…"

And that was when Yang decided to let them know that she'd seen the whole thing.

"Did you just take my sister's first kiss?" Yang's lips twitched, and she raised one fist. "Am I going to have to beat you up?"

"But… but I didn't… Ruby was the one who –"

Blake sighed and lowered her book. "How romantic – and how bold."

"Shut… shut up!" Weiss was sure her face was on fire. "It wasn't like that and you know it!"

Once all the teasing had subsided – and that took a long, long time – Ruby settled down next to Weiss.

"Sorry about Yang. She can kind of go overboard with the teasing."

"Yes. Yes, she can." Weiss did her best to pull the mangled remnants of her dignity back together.

Ruby smiled shyly. "Well, you know, I did ace that history test, so I was thinking that maybe… we could go back to that store and get more cookies."

Weiss's blush returned in full force. It was a miracle she hadn't passed out. She put on her most haughty look and did her best to ignore Yang's cackling and the merriment in Blake's eyes. "Yes, I suppose we could go back."

X X X

**Author's Notes**

I do not own RWBY, and I'm not making any money off this story either.

I've had this story kicking around in the back of my head for a couple of days now, so I thought I'd put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard). I do like the contrast between Ruby and Weiss. Unlike Yang and Blake who didn't run into any major problems at the start, Ruby and Weiss got off to a horrible start, and it took a lot of hard work and grudging compromise on both their parts to get things to work.

It's funny how Ruby can jump from super deadly killing machine to cookie eating monster. Weiss, for all her prickly exterior, is likely easy prey for someone with as much potential cuteness and pouting ability as Ruby. And I don't think Ruby would shy away from using it once she realised it could actually work. And yes, you could say that I support White Rose. I'm looking forward to writing a chapter where Yang sits down to 'talk' with Weiss about the proper protocol for dating her sister. I'm assuming it will involve a lot of fire, punching, and bullets. Ruby may even have to jump in to save Weiss (or send Blake in to do it for her).

As always, I appreciate feedback. Reviews and comments are more than welcome.


	3. Chapter 3

**Cat and Mouse**

Yang wasn't used to be being hunted, but that didn't change the fact that someone – or something – was hunting her right now. She could feel it. The dark woods where the Grimm lived were always full of watchful eyes, but these eyes were different. These eyes were wise and cunning, ever watchful and ever patient, waiting for the perfect time to strike.

"Who's out there?" she shouted. "Come on. You want some? Then come out and get some."

She caught a flash of movement at the edges of her vision and turned. Her eyes narrowed. There was nothing there. Her mind must be playing tricks on her. She took a deep breath. Night had fallen a few minutes ago, and her eyes were still adjusting to the gloom. She was jumping at shadows – that was all. But just in case something was really hunting her, she needed to get back to camp.

Three years had passed since she and the others had joined Beacon Academy. Team RWBY was now a well-oiled killing machine. Both teams RWBY and JNPR had been deployed to wipe out a particularly large group of Grimm in this forest. They'd already dealt with most of them, but there was no telling what else might be lurking in the woods. Once she got back to Ruby and the others, she could relax. Until then, she needed to keep her guard up and her eyes open.

Yang glanced down at her gauntlets. It was comforting to have Ember Celica around, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy. The feeling of being watched had only grown stronger.

There was another flash of movement from the corner of her eye. Something black – or at least blacker than the shadows around her – darted past. Yang spun to try and get a better look at it only for something else to shoot past on her other side. Her fists clenched. How many of them were there? Another shadow flitted by, and she caught a glimpse of amber glowing in the dark.

"I know you're out there." Yang tried to fill her voice with bravado. This wasn't one of the Grimm. The Grimm didn't hunt like this. A Grimm would have burst out of the trees and gone straight for the kill. But if it wasn't a Grimm, what was it? "Come out!"

Something hissed through the air less than an inch from her head. A tree behind her exploded in a shower of mangled wood. Yang didn't have to think twice about what to do. She was caught in the middle of nowhere with no back up against an opponent she couldn't even see properly. She had to find somewhere better to fight.

Breaking into a sprint, Yang ran back toward camp. Several trees crashed to the ground in front of her, blocking her path. Another shadow streaked by and then another. She twisted, trying to keep them in her field of vision. It was impossible – they were too fast. She fired a few shots off into the dark and hit nothing but air. The air hissed again, and Yang ducked. Another tree went down. Out of options, she turned off the main path and looked for another way to camp.

But the shadows were there to meet her each time. It took her a few minutes to realise what was happening. She wasn't just being kept away from the others – she was being herded. Whoever – or whatever – this was wanted her as far away from Ruby and the others as possible. They wanted her alone, and they wanted her scared, frustrated, and jumpy. They were doing a pretty good job of that.

Finally, Yang got sick of it. She burst into a clearing and turned to face the trees that lined the edges of it. Overhead, clouds covered the moon, and the whole clearing went dark. She readied her gauntlets.

"All right, you've got me right where you want me. Now, are you going to come out or not?"

The answer came a split-second later. The air behind her shifted and Yang turned, fists already flying. She threw a lightning fast jab and a thunderous cross with all the speed and power of Ember Celica behind them. Her opponent was a shadow, but one darker than all the others left by the lack of light. They twisted around her blows like a fish through water.

Yang bit back a curse and continued her attack. She threw half a dozen punches in quick succession, mixing in a kick or two to try and catch her opponent off guard. But the shadow dodged each blow with the same terrifying ease they'd dodged the first two. Then things got worse. More shadows peeled out of the darkness: two first and then four.

Fingers grazed Yang's hair before a punch caught her in the gut. It wasn't hard enough to hurt, but it was enough to push her back. Another blow caught her behind the knee, forcing her to the ground. She rolled, snarling, and summoned her fire. They were messing with her, and she hated that. A punch strong enough to pulverise solid rock hurtled toward the head of the closest shadow only to be batted almost gently aside. Yang found herself off balance before a kick knocked her out of the clearing and into the woods.

Yang growled. No one messed around with her like this, but she needed to even the odds a little. If she could separate them and take them on one-on-one, she should be okay. She ran through the woods, and the shadows followed, weaving effortlessly through the forest. Some followed her on foot, and others leapt through the trees on either side of her.

She turned, skidding to a stop, and lashed out at the shadows closest to her. One went down with a satisfying crunch, but then she was being driven back by a hail of punches and kicks. It took every iota of her skill and agility to keep them from landing a solid hit, but in the dim light, she could barely see what she was fighting.

Her opponent seemed to have no such problems.

Yang found herself pinned against a large tree. She kicked one shadow out of the air, knocked another two back with a pair of punches, and then turned to drive her fist into the face of a fourth. The shadow vanished before her attack could make contact. She growled. Great, these things could teleport or something like that. She fired into the trees nearby. She probably wouldn't hit anything, but hopefully Ruby and the others would hear all the noise and come running.

Something whistled through the air, and Yang's hands were suddenly bound to the tree above her. She struggled, straining to break free, but she was pinned down, trapped – completely at her opponent's mercy.

Amber eyes gleamed in the darkness.

"You put up a good fight, but you were never going to win – not in the forest, not at night." The voice was soft and gentle, but there was a definite edge to it along with a hint of amusement. It came from right in front of her too. Yang squirmed and squinted into the darkness, trying to make out the features of her opponent. It was a woman, she could tell that by the voice. "Now, what should I do with you, now that I've caught you?" Full lips curved up into an almost feral smile. It was an expression that only Yang ever got to see. "How about I do whatever I want?"

Yang shivered. It was probably a faunus thing, but Blake's eyes seemed to be glowing in the dark. And the expression on Blake's face… now that the clouds had cleared a little, Yang could see the other woman's hunger. Blake looked like she wanted to eat Yang alive, which probably wasn't that far from the truth.

"Uh… I think you're maybe taking this a tiny bit too far." Yang squirmed. Being pinned against a tree was making her nervous, but Blake had done a perfect job with her weapon. And Yang knew for a fact that she couldn't break Gambol Shroud's ribbon. Yep, she was completely at Blake's mercy, and Blake didn't seem like she was in the mood to give her any.

"No." Blake shook her head. "I'm not. If anything, you deserve worse." She raked her gaze over Yang's body with an almost cruel twist to her lips. The heaving chest, the firm stomach, the finely toned arms and legs – she knew Yang's body almost as well as her own. "You've been teasing me all through this mission, Yang. You know how long it's been since we've been able to get any alone time, and there you are…" Blake stopped in front of Yang and reached up to cup the other woman's cheek. "Swaying your hips. Smiling. Smelling so damn nice. Well, I've had enough."

Yang gulped. Okay, maybe she had been teasing Blake, but she hadn't expected her girlfriend to go completely psycho, stalk her through the woods, and then pin her to a tree. Or maybe she had been expecting that – even hoping for it.

"Tell me, what should I do now?" Blake's voice was low and heavy. Yang trembled.

"Let me go?" Yang wasn't sure whether to be aroused or terrified by this new side of Blake. Normally, she was the one who took charge of things. Oh well, she could be aroused and terrified.

"Oh no. You're not going anywhere." Blake's smile turned positively evil. "Not until I'm done with you." She leaned forward, reaching for Yang's clothes. "Now, be a good girl and keep quiet. We wouldn't want anyone coming to your aid, now would we?"

Yang shivered. What was it that they said about cats? Ah, yes. Cats liked to play with their prey.

X X X

Ruby sighed and poked the fire. She should have brought more marshmallows and another pack of cookies. At least they wouldn't have to be out here too much longer. They'd already taken out almost all of the Grimm. Tomorrow morning, they could do a quick clean up and then be on their way.

Yang had gone out to 'patrol', and Blake had gone out after her. The pair hadn't come back yet, but Ruby wasn't worried. Her sister could handle anything she ran into, and Blake would murder anything that even thought of hurting Yang using her super ninja skills. If anything, Ruby was jealous. She'd much rather be going around doing stuff than poking a campfire with a stick.

"Blake and Yang should be back by now."

Weiss huffed. Three years at Beacon hadn't changed how good Weiss was at looking down her nose at people when she was annoyed. Ruby thought it was endearing – and sexy. "I doubt they'll be back for a while. They went into the forest to patrol. Please. Hah. They're probably doing something horribly inappropriate right now. Honestly, you'd think those two had only just discovered what sex was."

There was a scowl on the heiress's face, but Ruby knew better. Weiss wasn't angry at their teammates – she was wondering why she hadn't thought of the patrolling excuse first. Two weeks in the field had robbed all of them of their usual alone time, and that included Ruby and Weiss. Oh well. Ruby grinned. They did have the campsite to themselves now.

"So, do you want to do something horribly inappropriate too?"

"What? I –" Weiss flushed and took a quick look around. "Okay."

Ruby snickered. "Pervert." Weiss was so cute. The other woman had no problems expressing herself in bed, but start talking about it and she got all flustered.

"Oh, shut up." Weiss pinned Ruby to her bedroll, her hands already moving to try and get Ruby out of her clothing. "Besides, you're the one who suggested this. Now make yourself useful and help me get this off."

"I love it when you get all demanding." Ruby grinned. "It's really kinky."

"Ruby Rose, am I going to have to gag you?"

Ruby pretended to think the matter over. Since arriving at Beacon, she'd learned how fun it could be to tease Weiss. An angry Weiss had been scary at first, but it was more bark than bite. Besides, an angry Weiss could be wonderfully creative when it came to getting revenge. "Well, it might be nice. Team JNPR is camped nearby. Remember last time? Pyrrha broke down the door of our room."

Weiss stopped, covering her face with her hands. "She said it sounded like someone was trying to kill you."

"Someone sort of was." Ruby giggled. "And –"

"BLAKE!"

This time, both of them stopped.

"Was that…Yang?" Weiss flushed. "Do you think…?"

Ruby laughed. "Well, I guess that answers my question. Blake must be winning."

"Sex is not a competition." Weiss scowled.

Ruby's reply was to flip them over so that she was on top. "You're only saying that because you always lose."

"Really?" Weiss lifted her chin. "Then do your worst. But know that I shall more than return the favour."

"I'm counting on that."

X X X

Yang and Blake had just finished tidying up their clothes when Pyrrha and Jaune arrived.

"Are you two okay?" I heard someone screaming –" The redhead's eyes widened. "Oh."

Yang draped one arm around Blake. "Yes, oh."

Next to Pyrrha, Jaune tilted his head to one side. "What do you guys mean, oh?"

"Never mind." Pyrrha grabbed Jaune by the arm. "They're fine, trust me. We should get back to camp." She bit her lip. "Or… we could got on patrol."

"Patrol?" Jaune sighed. "It's the middle of the night, Pyrrha. I want to get some sleep."

Pyrrha gave Jaune a heated look.

"Oh. Patrol. I get it." A silly grin crossed his lips. "Let's go do that… patrolling, yeah."

Yang elbowed Blake in the side as Pyrrha and Jaune headed off. "Some people are pretty dense, huh?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "Says the person who didn't realise her sister and Weiss were sleeping together until I told her."

X X X

**Author's Notes**

I do not own RWBY, and I'm not making any money off this story either.

As noted by Yang and Ruby during the chapter, this chapter is set in the future (at this point they've been at Beacon for three years).

In quite a few stories, Yang is cast as being "in charge", so I thought it would be fun to have a chapter where she was most definitely not in charge. And with Blake being a cat (faunus), I thought it was only fitting that the pair of them play a little cat and mouse. Naturally, Ruby isn't going to pass up on the opportunity that a bit of alone time gives her and Weiss. The part at the end was a nod at Pyrrha/Jaune, which I think is quite an adorable pairing.

As always, I appreciate feedback. Reviews and comments are more than welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Little Bit Of Advice**

The clatter of blades echoed across the rooftop followed shortly by the thump of a body as it toppled onto its back.

Jaune groaned and picked himself up off the ground. He could see his sword out of the corner of his eye. Great – he must have dropped it when he fell. Now, he had to go get it. To make matters worse, Pyrrha didn't even try and stop him. Instead, she waited patiently for him to retrieve his weapon and take up his stance. She hadn't even broken a sweat.

"How are you so good at this?" he grumbled. His sword and shield felt like they weighed a tonne, and his feet felt like they were made of cement.

"It's all about practice, Jaune. I've had years of training. But I think you're doing very well." Pyrrha took one step forward, and Jaune lunged to meet her. She caught his strike on her shield, and twisted to return the blow with one of her own. Through a combination of dumb luck and anticipation, he managed to ward off the strike with his shield. She smiled and gave a small nod of approval. "You're still new to this, but you have talent. You've already improved a lot from when we first started."

Jaune accepted the compliment and circled around for another attack. Maybe he was improving, but he was still a long, long way from being as good as the others in their team. He needed to do better – not just for himself but also for them. They were his friends, and they deserved a leader who could keep up, not someone who dragged them down.

But no matter how much thought or effort he put into his attacks, Pyrrha was always a step ahead of him. It didn't help at all that she made it almost impossible to concentrate. There was a part of him – a part he'd beaten over the head quite a few times – that wanted nothing more than to savour the sight of Pyrrha in motion.

She was so graceful when she fought, all smooth, flowing motion – but she was incredibly strong too. And despite how capable she was in combat, she was one of the kindest, gentlest people he'd ever met outside of battle. He could have looked at her for hours, but staring would only get him a knock over the head.

Besides, what chance did a guy like him have with a girl like her? He might be their team leader, but that had to be more about luck than anything else. A girl like Pyrrha could have any guy she wanted. She didn't have to waste her time on someone like him. Heck, the fact that she was willing to help him only showed how nice she was.

"Good." Pyrrha smiled. "Remember to watch your footwork, Jaune. A good swing or block doesn't come from just your arms – it comes from you whole body. Make sure your feet are in the right place and turn your hips as you strike. Like this, see?"

"Right." Jaune gulped as Pyrrha demonstrated. He dragged his gaze away from the exposed flesh of her upper thigh only to find it stuck on the area above her chest. Man, he was such a creep. She was trying to help him, and all he could do was check her out. "I'll try."

Jaune tried – he really, really did – but it was impossible to ignore Pyrrha. He might have been able to ignore her if she'd only been pretty, but she was kind and smart and a hundred other things too. And she was always touching him, grabbing his arms and manhandling him into the proper position for an attack or block. And did she have to lean all over him to make sure that his posture was correct?

It was driving him crazy – but he couldn't find it in himself to care.

If it had been someone else – anyone else – he would have wondered if she was doing it on purpose. But that couldn't be it. Pyrrha had never said anything about liking him that away, and she wasn't the sort of person to keep that quiet. She was being a good friend, that's all, and he felt like a scumbag for reading too much into it.

After getting his ass kicked for what felt like the hundredth time, they decided to call it a night. Jaune headed back to their dorm room while Pyrrha stayed on the roof for some extra practice.

Back in their dorm room, Jaune wasn't surprise to find Ren reading through one of their textbooks. The other boy liked to keep ahead, and he was near the top in all of their classes. Nora was draped over him, using his stomach for a pillow as she flipped through another textbook. However, a closer look revealed that there was actually a comic hidden inside – one that depicted a rather florid example of gun-based violence.

Jaune smiled. Some things would never change.

"Hey, guys." He sagged onto his bed. He could take a shower in a couple of minutes. Right now, all he wanted was to do absolutely nothing. "Anything interesting happening?"

"Not really." Ren sighed and reached down to grab Nora's comic book, leaving her with no choice but to actually study her textbook. "We're studying for that test we've got next week. And speaking of tests… we've got another combat assessment coming up soon. How are things going with Pyrrha?"

Jaune sighed. He knew Ren was only asking because he cared, but he would have preferred not to think about it. If he were lucky, he'd be able to scrape by with an average mark. "It's… it's going okay."

"So… you're still pretty bad, huh?" Nora poked Ren in the stomach and then smiled sunnily at Jaune. "Don't worry – you've gotten a lot better. Pyrrha will have you kicking ass in no time!"

"Right…" Jaune sat up and ran one hand through his hair. "I just don't know why she bothers sometimes. I mean… I keep holding you guys back. Sometimes, I think you'd be better off with someone else as your leader. I'm not strong or fast or good at killing things. Pyrrha says I've got a lot of aura – but I can't even use it. I don't get why she spends so much time trying to help me."

Ren closed his textbook and shook his head. "You're not very bright, are you?"

"Hey, I do all right on the academic tests." Jaune scowled. "Sure, I'm not beating you, but I do okay."

"Oh no, Ren's right." Nora giggled. "If you can't see it, then you definitely must be kind of dumb."

"See what?"

Ren and Nora shared a secretive smile.

"Nope, we're not telling." Nora hopped up onto her feet and darted forward to pat Jaune on the head. "Just pay attention and try not to ignore the obvious too much."

"Okay…" Jaune shrugged. "I'm going to go have a shower. See you guys later."

X X X

Up on the roof, Pyrrha ran through a few more of her practice forms. There was a soothing regularity to using her weapon, whether it was her shield, her sword, her spear, or her rifle. She'd practiced with them so many times that she could have done her forms in her sleep, but she forced herself to go through them slowly, to make sure that each move, each technique, was perfect.

It also helped her stifle that little spark of anger that had been brewing over the past few weeks. It wasn't Jaune's fault that he had a talent for missing the obvious.

She took a deep breath. She wasn't used to feeling angry or annoyed. People had always remarked on how easy going she was for such a talented warrior. But there was something about Jaune that got to her. Maybe it was his goofy but genuine smile, or maybe it was the way he kept trying despite being utterly unqualified for most of the challenges he faced.

Whatever it was, she wanted to see more of it – to see more of him. She stopped halfway through a technique, cheeks flushed. She hadn't meant it like that! But their practice sessions had definitely improved his physical conditioning. Her blush deepened as she recalled the way his muscles had tensed under her touch. Was it too much to think that he liked her too?

She managed to get through a few more techniques before she gave up, her shield raised to block an imaginary strike, her sword thrust into the gut of an imaginary opponent. There was movement in the shadows behind her, and she leapt back as something vaulted off the slanted section of the roof to land beside her.

"You must have a lot on your mind."

Pyrrha relaxed. It was Blake. She lowered her weapon and smiled. "I didn't notice you. You're as quiet as a cat."

Blake motioned at her ribbon.

Pyrrha chuckled softly. "Ah, right." Blake was always good company, quiet but friendly, and a relaxing change to the more… rambunctious antics that some of the others got up to. "Are you taking a walk?"

"Not exactly." Blake sat down at the edge of the roof and patted the spot beside her. "Ruby and Weiss are arguing again, and Yang is doing the opposite of helping. It was getting hard to read in there with all the noise." She pulled out her book, a weighty tome about the history of Vale. "So I thought I'd come up here."

"I see. But you know, Weiss and Ruby aren't really angry with each other."

"Don't worry, I know. Those two seem to enjoy arguing. I don't think Weiss has actually gotten angry at Ruby in months. And Yang… Yang likes to push Weiss's buttons." Blake tossed a glance over her shoulder to make sure they were alone. "So… no luck on the Jaune front, I guess."

"Am I that obvious?" Pyrrha bit her lip. "Does everyone see except him?"

Blake's lips curved up in amusement, but she lifted her book to cover her expression. As funny as it was, Pyrrha was her friend. "Probably. Ruby thinks we should tell him –"

"No!" Pyrrha blushed. "I mean I appreciate the thought but…"

"It's okay. I understand." Blake turned back to her book. "It's something you want to handle on your own. And don't worry – I don't think Ruby will do anything without asking you first."

"I just wish he'd notice." Pyrrha bit her lip. "I've done everything except throw myself at him naked."

"You could always try that." Blake bit back a laugh as Pyrrha's face got even redder. "All right, how about you try reading this." She pulled out another book and handed it to Pyrrha. "You might find it handy."

"What is…" Pyrrha trailed off. "Ninjas of love?"

"Trust me, there's some useful stuff in there." Blake closed her book. "I should probably get back before they destroy the room."

"See you tomorrow." Pyrrha turned her attention to the book Blake had given her. "I wonder what this is about." A few minutes later, she slammed the book shut before tentatively opening it again. "This is… is…" She tilted her head to one side. "Can you really do that?"

And then, fifteen minutes later…

"Wow." Pyrrha put the book down and covered her cheeks with her hands. "I… I wonder if…"

X X X

Jaune and Pyrrha's next training session was a train wreck. When they weren't looking at each other and blushing, they were looking everywhere except each other and tripping over. Their only saving grace was that no one was there to witness the debacle except a certain stealthy Faunus.

On the upside, Pyrrha did finally get up the courage to ask Jaune to dinner. Naturally, Jaune took it the wrong way and asked if they could bring Ren and Nora along too. Oh well, at least it was a step in the right direction – and Pyrrha was able to convince Jaune to wear a suit.

And if Blake happened to win a few bets with her teammates, then that was okay too. After all, it should have been obvious to everyone that Pyrrha would be the one asking Jaune to dinner, not the other way around. But when was Pyrrha going to give her book back? There was a chapter in there that she wanted to read again, one about a female ninja and her blonde partner with a penchant for getting into brawls.

X X X

**Author's Notes**

As always, I neither own RWBY, nor am I making any money off of this.

Well, I thought it was about time that I gave you guys a chapter focusing on some of the characters from team JNPR. I think Jaune and Pyrrha make quite a cute couple, so I thought I'd go with them (plus Jaune is so hilariously oblivious). And who better to offer a little bit of sage advice on the topic of love than RWBY's resident cat? I would have liked to get more Ren and Nora in there, but I think they did their part.

My writing schedule is likely to be a bit wonky for a while since I blew out my right knee (the gory details can be found in my profile). So if updates are a bit slow, just keep that in mind.

I also write original fiction. If you're interested in that, you can check out my profile. In fact, this Sunday 16th February (Pacific Standard Time), I'll be giving away one of my stories, _The Last Huntress_, for free on Amazon. I'll post a link at the top of my profile on the day, so check it out!

As always, I appreciate feedback. Reviews and comments are welcome.


	5. Chapter 5

**Homework Night**

_An age of woe and suffering had descended upon Team RWBY. Trapped in the dungeons of their friend turned nemesis, Ruby, Yang, and Blake had no choice but to complete whatever horrible task Weiss set in front of them. The tyrannical heiress was a merciless ruler, bereft of even the faintest notions of kindness or empathy. All would bow before her, or all would die._

_Yep, it was just another homework night for Team RWBY._

X X X

Weiss did not tolerate failure. And more to the point, she refused to tolerate failure either from herself or anyone she was associated with. That meant that everyone on her team was expected to be near the top of the academic food chain. Anything less would reflect poorly on her, and failure to comply with her exacting standards was certain to lead to an endless barrage of complaints, haranguing, and general bossiness.

This wasn't normally a problem for Blake. The Faunus loved to read and was a naturally gifted student. She paid attention in class and learned quickly and easily. She also didn't seem to mind actually studying for written exams. The two sisters were a different story. It wasn't that Yang and Ruby were stupid. No, if they were genuinely stupid, Weiss wouldn't have minded so much. Their continued underperformance would be understandable, if not desirable.

What truly aggravated her was that both sisters were actually very intelligent. What they lacked was the motivation to properly apply themselves in academic contexts, particularly written academic contexts. Yang and Ruby both topped or came near the top of their classes in practical examinations. But their marks on written examinations were clearly the result of either laziness or disinterest. To Weiss, that was simply unacceptable. To be the best, she needed the best team.

To help improve their performance, Weiss had instituted homework nights. At least twice a week, the team would sit down and go through all of their homework together. It was no substitute for the detailed study program that Weiss wanted, but the vagaries of democracy meant that it was all she could have. She could, however, drill as much material as possible into her teammates' heads during these sessions.

Ruby looked up from her notebook with a pout and looked longingly out the window. "Weiss… I know it's homework night, but it's still sunny outside and –"

Crack.

The wooden ruler slapped down on Ruby's desk less than an inch from her hand. The younger girl flinched back and look to her older sister for help, but Weiss was already in motion, brandishing her wooden ruler at Yang with almost manic enthusiasm.

"It is homework night, Ruby, and that means that you are doing your homework." Weiss absolutely refused to be swayed by the pout on Ruby's face. Her leader was far too cute for her own good, even if Weiss would never admit it aloud. Ruby had also gotten an unexpectedly low mark on one of her most recent exams. Weiss had no intention of following a slacker, so she had added a few additional questions to Ruby's homework to make sure her leader got back up to the required standard. "Blake's marks have been excellent this semester. She is thus allowed to leave whenever she wants. You two, however, must stay."

"I should just kick your ass and go outside." Yang scowled. Weiss was tough, but she could take her. Heck, if Ruby helped, Weiss would be no problem.

"You could try, Yang, but I'll have you know that I have a Dust bomb connected to your wardrobe. One flick of my wrist, and you can kiss all of your beloved clothes goodbye."

"You're bluffing." Yang would have noticed that.

"Am I?" Weiss's lips curled. "Can you really take that chance?"

Yang's fists clenched. "You're a monster."

"No, Yang, I'm an heiress, and I am very much used to getting my way. Now, stop talking and get back to work." Weiss's smile was disturbingly saccharine. "I expect only the best out of you at the next written examination."

Satisfied that she had the two sisters firmly under her thumb, Weiss returned her attention to her own studies. She had already summarised this week's chapter and gone over the revision questions, but she wanted to be extra sure that she understood everything. She had come in second behind Pyrrha at the last examination, and she had no intention of allowing that to happen again.

As the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, victory was the only acceptable outcome.

X X X

Ruby sighed and fought the urge to fidget. She understood Weiss's desire to have all of them do well, even if it was more than a little bit crazy and totally over the top. Weiss wasn't used to failure, and she didn't want it anywhere near her. But the other girl was making a big fuss over nothing. This wasn't even their final year at Beacon, and these were little quizzes not huge, end of semester exams. And it was a very nice afternoon.

Outside, she could see Team JNPR frolicking out on the lawn. It made her want to throw her pencil at them, they looked so ridiculously happy out there. Pyrrha and Jaune were laughing and practicing together. As usual, Pyrrha was winning, but Jaune didn't seem too upset. Ren and Nora were watching them from under a tree with a packet of tasty looking cookies.

Hmm… cookies. She had a pack hidden away under her bed, but even with her Semblance, she didn't think she could reach it without Weiss noticing. And knowing Weiss, the other girl would probably eat them in front of her as a punishment.

Ruby looked out the window again. As if Team JNPR weren't already having enough fun, the cat they'd found, Patches, was out there too. The scruffy looking thing had settled down on Nora's lap to munch a few cookies. To complete the obnoxiously happy atmosphere, there were even a few birds singing nearby. Seriously, it was like the whole world was telling her to go outside and play, never mind her homework.

She turned her attention back to the page in front of her. This was boring. She could always study it on the weekend. It didn't help that Weiss was so stingy with her notes. Everyone knew that Weiss had the most elaborate notes in the world (colour coded, dated, indexed – everything), but she never shared them. Why did she have to be such a grouch? Ruby had tried bribing her with baked goods, but that hadn't worked at all.

But if Ruby was being honest with herself, she didn't study as hard as she could have. It was just that the practical exams were so much more interesting, and while she enjoyed reading, the textbooks were so dryly written. And Weiss needed to stop getting so bent out of shape over every little thing. She'd spent a whole night freaking out over getting second behind Pyrrha, but Pyrrha was pretty much awesome at everything, so that wasn't really something to feel bad about.

"Weiss…"

"We are not going outside, Ruby."

"But –"

"No."

Ruby sighed and tried to focus on her notes again. But as time went on, it became impossible to ignore the increasingly vicious way that Weiss tapped her pen on the book she was reading. It was clear that she was having problems understanding something. Ruby leaned over to look at it and bit back a smile. It was one of the trickiest concepts in the chapter, something to do with advanced Dust application. Ruby had only figured it out after noticing how similar it was to some of the engineering principles she'd used to build her scythe.

"Weiss."

"Yes, what?" Weiss didn't bother to look up from her book, but the irritation was clear in her voice.

"Do you want help?"

Now Weiss looked up. Her aristocratic features firmed into a scowl. "Help? I'll have you know that I am the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. I don't need any help –"

"Yes, you do." Yang smirked. "You've been glaring at that page for twenty minutes now. Just let Ruby help you. She is good at this kind of thing, you know."

"Well, if you absolutely insist, then I suppose that I can let you help." 

Ruby couldn't keep herself from smiling. It only took her five minutes to explain, and by the time she was done, Weiss's eye was twitching.

"That was… completely correct." Weiss huffed and looked away. "I can't believe I didn't see it."

"Maybe because you're too uptight to think outside the box." Yang stretched. "And now that I've thought about it, there's no way that you rigged a bomb to my wardrobe. That's too blunt, not like you at all." She got to her feet and then hopped out the window. "I'm going to go outside and hang around, maybe chase Patches for a little while. I might even see if I can snag some more catnip."

"Get back here!" Weiss growled.

"Weiss, just let her go." Blake sighed. "She called your bluff."

"Fine. I suppose that you're going too."

"Some has to keep her out of trouble, and I am not about to let her get anymore catnip."

Then it was just Ruby and Weiss in the room.

"Are you going to go too?" Weiss asked.

"Do you want me to?"

"Actually…" Weiss's cheeks flushed. "Do you think you could explain that to me again?"

Ruby looked out the window to where Blake was talking quite seriously with Patches the cat as Yang and Nora took turns teasing Ren. Then she looked back at Weiss. It was a nice day, but…

"Sure, we could go over it again."

X X X

**Author's Notes**

As always, I neither own RWBY, nor am I making any money off of this.

So, this is another slice-of-life piece. I can imagine Weiss being quite uptight about grades and then dragging everyone else along too. Of course, she isn't perfect, and part of being in a team is knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Nobody can be good at everything, but that's what teammates do – bolster your strengths and shore up your weaknesses.

If you enjoy my writing, you might want to check out my original fiction. You can find links to it in my profile. If you like fantasy, give _The Last Huntress_ a try. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

As always, I appreciate feedback. Reviews and comments are welcome.


End file.
